Give Him Your Mind

Since childhood, people have told me many times that God wants our hearts.

I will not dispute that.

But the truth is, God wants more than that.

In simplest terms, God wants all of us.

That means he wants our minds as well.

Here, we certainly must be careful.

Scripture offers both praises and warnings about wisdom.

The warnings, however, also tend to be about the dangers of pride.

We must never for a moment think we are wiser than God.

All told, God gave us a heart.

He expects us to use it.

He also gave us a mind.

He expects us to use that as well!

In our daily affairs we should use our intellect as well as our heart.

This applies to our relationship with God.

It also applies to our relationship with our fellow man.

Jesus alluded to this in his two-fold answer to an expert in religious law.

This man asked Jesus which of the commandments was the greatest.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Christ tells us plainly that our minds play a role in loving God.

He also understood that if we kept these two commandments, we would in effect keep them all.

There is one more verse I wish to share with you.

It comes from the parable of the talents.

Luke 12:48 (NET) - But the one who did not know his master’s will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

Give God your heart.

Make certain you give Him your mind as well.

C. S. Lewis said, "He [Christ] told us to be not only 'as harmless as doves,' but also 'as wise as serpents.' He wants a child's heart, but a grown-up's head.”

John Amos Comenius put it this way: “The mind is a great gift from God and to use it properly can be nothing less than an act of worship.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 5, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 12, 2019

Just Two Words

Loss.

We have all experienced the loss of a loved one.

Often the pain we experience is compounded.

Perhaps this is due to the circumstances surrounding the loss.

Perhaps this is due to the age of the person.

Perhaps this is due to the number of recent losses we have experienced.

Perhaps this is due to the sheer number of tragedies a family has already experienced.

It is no secret that scripture is a tremendous source of comfort in times of loss.

There are verses about Jesus having conquered death.

There are verses about His going to prepare a place for us.

There are verses about the wiping away of every tear.

There are verses about the resurrection.

There are verses about eternal life.

Verses upon verses in scripture are there ready to provide comfort.

That said, is it okay for us to cry when a loved one has died?

Jesus demonstrated that it is okay to shed tears.

In fact, Jesus shed tears after his friend Lazarus died.

He traveled to Bethany and met with his sisters, Mary and Martha.

When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb several days.

Mourners were present.

Some of the words spoken to Jesus could be considered harsh.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead with a spoken word.

But before all this, Jesus did something quite profound.

The moment is captured for us in the shortest verse in scripture.

That verse contains just two words.

But these words speak volumes.

John 11:35 (KJV) - Jesus wept.

Christ shed tears for his friend.

His tears were genuine.

If Christ shed genuine tears, we may also do likewise when we lose someone special.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 21, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 28, 2019

Don't Give Up

Everyone gets tired.

Even people who serve the Lord.

In fact, burnout is a problem pastors face.

Even those of us who serve the Lord in other ways can find ourselves running on fumes.

Let’s face it, serving the Lord can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Fortunately, scripture helps remind us not to give up.

Jesus reminds us we must push forward.

Luke 9:62 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Paul reminds us in one of his letters that we must press onward.

He even tells us what we can expect if we do.

Galatians 6:9 (NET) - So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.

Paul has another reminder for us,

Philippians 3:14 (NET) - with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Perhaps Paul’s best advice comes in the next chapter.

In it, he reminds us that we are not in it alone.

Philippians 4:13 (NET) - I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

I lovingly refer to this as my “go to” verse whenever I find myself struggling.

Paul also puts it another way.

Colossians 1:29 (NET) - Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.

Yes, serving the Lord can be difficult at times.

But we must never give up or give in!

We must persevere!

We must remember the Lord is with us.

If we do, in the end we can say what Paul said.

2 Timothy 4:7 (NET) - I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!

Then the Lord may have something to say to us.

Jesus gave us a foretaste of it in one of His parables.

Matthew 25:21 (NIV) - “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 7, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 14, 2019

When Life Gets Hard

Some friends of mine and I recently faced challenging circumstances.

One friend suggested to me that I enjoyed them.

But more on that in a moment.

Scripture tells us the things we must do.

We may not enjoy them.

In fact, we may find some of them difficult.

Scripture tells us to love our neighbor.

Galatians 5:14 (NET) - For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”

One of the greatest ironies in life is that those who need love the most are often the most difficult to love.

Scripture tells us to forgive.

Ephesians 4:32 (NET) - Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Yet forgiveness is probably the one thing Christians struggle with most.

Scripture reminds us to be patient.

Philippians 4:6 (NET) - Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

But patience tends to fall by the wayside in a world of instant gratification.

Scripture has other reminders, but among my favorites comes from another of Paul’s letters.

This one came to mind when my friend suggested I liked the circumstances.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NET) - And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Now faith is a wonderful thing.

And who among us does not like to have hope?

But Paul reminds us that love is the greatest of the three.

Upon recalling this verse, I knew how to respond to my friend.

I told him that I did not like the circumstances any better than he did.

I then added that I refuse to allow the circumstance to dictate how I interact with others.

I believe one thing the world has lost touch with is that it is okay to disagree with people.

We do not have to like or approve of what they say or do.

We certainly do not have to adopt these ways ourselves.

We are, however, obligated to love them.

It is okay for us to disagree.

It is not okay for us to become disagreeable in the process!

The things we find most difficult in life are the result of us relying on our own strength.

Perhaps we should rely on His strength instead.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 17, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 24, 2019

No Doubt

John 20:25 (NET) - The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!”

The world is full of doubt.

We doubt the world will get better.

We doubt the economy will get better.

We doubt the news will get any better.

Many doubt the existence of God.

More doubt that Jesus was His Son.

The very same doubt His resurrection took place.

They are not alone.

A disciple named Thomas was told that the Lord was seen.

Thomas doubted.

He wanted proof.

He got the proof he wanted.

Eight days later the disciples gathered in a house.

The doors were locked.

Suddenly Jesus appeared beside them.

He wished them peace.

Then, He turned to Thomas.

John 20:27 (NET) - Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief but believe.”

Thomas no longer doubted.

In fact, He referred to Jesus as Lord.

John 20:29 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus really is the Son of God.

The same God who spoke the world into existence and called His work good.

God gave man free will.

It was mankind’s pride and disobedience that made a mess of things.

But the work of putting things right began with Jesus.

It is up to us to continue that work with the abilities He has given us.

Will the world ever be put completely right?

Yes, when Jesus returns all will be put right.

1 Peter 1:13 (NET) - Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober, and set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The work has already begun.

No doubt about it!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 3, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 10, 2019

An Empty Package

Imagine arriving home and discovering someone had left you a gift.

You try to remember what the occasion might be.

Nothing comes to mind.

You try to remember what you did to earn it.

Again, nothing comes to mind.

You even try to remember what you did to deserve a gift.

Still, nothing comes to mind.

You decide to read the note attached.

It is simply signed: “From the One Who Loves You the Most”.

At a loss, you open the gift.

You discover the package is completely empty.

How would you react?

Would you be confused?

Would you be upset?

This scenario might seem farfetched, but something similar happened about 2,000 years ago.

Jesus had been tried, convicted and executed.

He was then buried in a borrowed tomb.

Three days later a group of women who followed Jesus in life went there.

As they walked, they wondered who would open the tomb for them.

When they arrived, they found the tomb had been unsealed.

What is more, they discovered Jesus was no longer there.

The disciples were then informed.

Although in hiding, two came to see for themselves.

Afterward, one of the women remained.

John 20:11 (NET) - But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb.

At that instant, no one realized the magnitude of the moment.

The disciples had gone back into hiding.

Mary was still upset

All involved were confused.

Not one of them realized that this was a gift.

It was the most precious gift imaginable.

It was a gift that was neither earned nor deserved.

It was a gift that completely changed everything forever!

Jesus was exactly who He claimed to be.

Jesus did exactly what He promised to do.

Ephesians 2:8 (NET) - For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;

When you think about it, the very best gift you and I ever received was discovered in an empty package.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 19, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 26, 2019

Opportunities

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NET) - And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

These words from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians are among my favorite in all of scripture.

I think every Christian would agree that faith is a wonderful thing.

And, who among us does not like to have hope.

But Paul reminds us love is even greater than faith or hope.

All three of these things involve relationships.

The first two, faith and hope, mainly involve our relationship with God.

Love, on the other hand, is not so limited.

While it is an integral part of our relationship with God it is also important to our relationship with others.

Jesus reminded us of this.

John 15:12 (NET) - My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you.

The words we speak can demonstrate our love for God and others.

More importantly, our actions also demonstrate our love.

That’s where opportunities come in.

The dictionary defines opportunity as: a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something.

One kind of opportunity is the kind we create ourselves.

The other is the kind that presents itself to us.

These can be difficult for us to recognize with all the distractions the world offers us.

That is why it is important that we remain open and receptive to God’s leading,

When we do, something remarkable happens.

Our response to these opportunities is a great way to demonstrate our love for God and others as well.

We demonstrate our love for God and others at the same time.

Paul understood this and pointed this out in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 6:10 (NET) - So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

As Easter draws ever nearer, let us remember how God demonstrated his love for us through Christ.

Let us remember that Jesus willingly laid down his life for us because He loves us.

John 15:13 (NET) - No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.

Opportunities still arise.

Let us be open to them.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 5, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 12, 2019